UNIVERSAL FREE CREMATIONS | 2. Are We Cremating the Dead or Living?

If a minimum of 450 kg wood is required per cremation i.e., 4 trees of at least 10-year age then what happens? I said in my last article that “number of trees cut per year for cremations and the consequent CO2 emissions are phenomenal resulting in environmental catastrophe”. Allow me kindly to demonstrate the same with some actual numbers…to take you closer to the massive global environmental catastrophe.

Primary GHG emissions through cremation activity are CO2, which results by cremating the deceased with wood. From times immemorial the practice is to cremate the dead (Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains etc.) using wood. As per 2011 demographic census of the Government of India (GoI) the following data is gathered:

?S. No.?????Religion??????% Of Population

1??????????????Hinduism????????????79.8

2??????????????Sikhism????????????????1.7

3??????????????Buddhism???????????0.7

4?????????????? Jainism????????????????0.4

?As per the Civil Registration System of GoI, estimated deaths in India in 2017 are = 8.117.689. Following above distribution, number of deaths as per religion can be distributed in this manner:

?S. No.????????Religion?????????? Number of deaths

1?????????????????Hinduism????????????79.8% * 8.117.689 = 6.477.916

2?????????????????Sikhism????????????????1.7% * 8.117.689 = 138.001

3?????????????????Buddhism???????????0.7% * 8.117.689 = 56.824

4??????????????????Jainism????????????????0.4% * 8.117.689 = 32.471

?Note: A percentage of Hindus and others (around 20%) based on religious beliefs opt for burial. To enable to explain the full scenario and for explanation purposes, this is ignored.

?In 2017 the estimated deaths of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains are 70% of total number of deaths i.e., 8.117.689 * 70% = 5.682.382. The remaining 30% belong to Islam and other communities who bury their dead.

?Among Hindus and according to the Garuda Maha Puran (sacred Text which deals how Hindu dead needs to be dealt with) around 10% of the dead are buried. In other words, 90% of total deaths are cremated. Hence, the estimated cremations of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains in 2017 will be 90% of total number of Hindu, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jain deaths i.e., 90% * 5.682.382 = 5.114.144.

?To cremate one body around 450 to 500 kg wood is required. This means four trees each 10 years old are needed to generate 450 to 500 kg wood!?Further, it may be noted that majority of Hindus (about 99%) do not opt for CNG/Electric cremation as this is explicitly prohibited by religion. Hence wood is the only source for cremations.?

?Thus, number of trees cut in 2017 for cremations are = Total Cremations in 2017 * Trees per cremation = 5.114.144* 4 = 20.456.576 ≈20.5 million trees

A CO2 molecule consists of one carbon atom and 2 oxygen atoms.

Atomic weight of carbon is 12 u

Atomic weight of oxygen is 16 u.

Therefore, the molecular weight of CO2 = 12 + (2*16) = 44g/mol.

?This means, 12 g of carbon releases 44 g of CO2. 500 g of carbon will release (500*44)/12 = 1.83 g of CO2 per kg of wood. So, burning 1 kg wood will releases 1.83 kg CO2.

?Hence CO2 released due to one cremation = [Wood required for one cremation * CO2 released by burning 1 kg Wood] = [450 * 1.83] = 824 kg = 0.824 metric tons.

?Thus, gross CO2 released due to wood cremation for 5.195.384 Hindu deaths for 2017 = 5.114.144 * 0.824 = 4.214.055 metric tons or 4214055000 kg CO2.

?Cremation is a compulsory activity among Hindus. It cannot be avoided. But is there any other method / provision which is more desirable and religious and can reduce CO2 emissions?

?I will sign off for now. Will surely see you in my next article on Death! (To know more – www.lastritesindia.com)

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